Silly String
by Eph 5.8
Summary: Rarity wants a promoting party for Carousel Boutique, so she enlists the help of the party-licious Pinkie Pie. But the party soon becomes disaster, and Pinkie tries to leave Ponyville. Can Rarity help her realize her friends still love her?


**Hey there, everypony! I took a break from my other stories to write this one. It would make me happy if you read it all the way through! Reviews are appreciated, I'm still trying to learn. ^^**

**First off I don't own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It belongs to Hasbro and Lauren Faust, who I simply adore.**

**Second off I don't own Silly String. The stuff is perfectly wretched in my opinion. It belongs to...whoever invented it.**

**Well, here starts the story!**

* * *

><p>"I trust you'll take care of <em>everything<em>, darling. After all, you're Ponyville's most renowned party pony!"

Pinkie Pie nods her head vigorously as Rarity puts on a coat and opens the door.

"Of course I will! I'll make sure that there are lots of balloons and food and music and surprises! Because what would a party be without surprises?"

Rarity smiles faintly. "Er, yes…just make sure that it's not…too surprising." She begins to walk out the door. "I want this party to encourage customers, not scare them out of their wits." Rarity chuckles to herself, if not a bit hesitantly, and leaves.

Pinkie looks around the boutique thoughtfully, considering her work space. "Ooh, I bet that it would look really fun if I hung streamers from the ceiling all around the room, and in the middle a big sparkly disco ball!" She giggles. "And maybe balloons that say in really fancy-ish looking writing, 'Carousel Boutique'!" Pinkie laughs again, using a hoof to trace the words in the air.

"Maybe cupcakes with dresses on them in colorful frosting!" Pinkie grins from ear to ear as ideas flood through her head. "I better go get started!"

She can just tell that this will be the best party ever. And Rarity is counting on her—so of course Pinkie Pie will try to live up to these standards. Of course, Pinkie doesn't think it will be trouble at all. After the party she throws is a success, ponies will come from all ends of Equestria to buy dresses from Rarity. It's going to be a "promotional party", whatever that means.

* * *

><p>Pinkie Pie prances happily down the road. "I wonder what they have at the joke shop—after all, a party isn't a party if it doesn't have any joke-a-licious pranks!" she says, bouncing along. Rarity says this party shouldn't be super-exciting, but Pinkie Pie doesn't think that Rarity would be happy serving boring, high and mighty customers who don't know how to have a little excitement in their lives.<p>

She enters the joke shop. The owner knows her very, very well since she goes there all the time, usually accompanied with her pegasus friend Rainbow Dash. Speaking of Rainbow Dash, Rainbow is actually there at that moment.

"Hi Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie says.

"Oh, hey, Pinkie Pie," Rainbow Dash says. "What are you doing here?"

Pinkie Pie answers energetically, "I'm here to pick up some supplies for Rarity's party!"

"Rarity is having a party?" Rainbow Dash seems genuinely surprised, and puts down the canister of itching powder she is holding.

"Well actually," says Pinkie, "Rarity is in Canterlot giving out a few last minute invitations and checking late RSVPs. I'm throwing a promotional party for her boutique, whatever that means."

"Oh," says Rainbow, "you mean a party so that more customers will buy stuff from her?"

"I think that's it."

"And you think that the ponies who like fancy-schmancy dresses and formal attire would like pranks and stuff like that?"

Pinkie Pie doesn't say anything, because she partly knows in the back of her mind that it's a bad idea. So she stays silent and pretends she didn't hear.

"Whatever. If there's gonna be pranks and the usual works of a Pinkie Pie party, then I'm in." Rainbow picks up the itching powder again and purchases it, giving her money to the cash register pony. "Just as long as I'm allowed to come," she adds.

"Of course you'll be allowed to come! You're Rarity's friend and this promotional party sounds like she wants lots of ponies to come."

Rainbow Dash shrugs, like the way she does when she doesn't want to be held responsible for any mishap. "If you say so," she says.

"The party starts at five," Pinkie Pie says.

Pinkie buys the things she wants and leaves the joke shop. Her next destination will be Sugarcube Corner, which is also where she lives. She'll be baking the food for the party all by herself, with a bit of help from Mrs. Cake, of course. Pinkie has already arranged for her friend Applejack to bring some apples, and when she arrives at the bakery Applejack is already there, apples and all.

"Here are the apples ya wanted, Pinkie," she says, using her head to gesture towards the basket on her back. "What didja need 'em for?"

"I'm gonna make some yummy-licious tasty treats for Rarity's party," Pinkie Pie says.

For some reason, Applejack's reaction is similar to Rainbow Dash's.

"Rarity is hostin' a party?"

"Well, I'm hosting it. It's going to be at the boutique and a bunch of fancy ponies are going to be invited," says Pinkie.

Applejack puts on a skeptical expression, setting down the basket carefully. "Are ya sure all them fancy folks will like normal apples?"

"Of course!" Pinkie Pie says. "Who doesn't like apples? Especially if they were grown in Sweet Apple Acres. I mean, your family grows the best apples in Ponyville!"

"We grow the _only _apples in Ponyville, sugarcube."

"Don't worry," Pinkie assures her friend, although it's more to assure herself. "They'll love whatever I can whip up with your apples and my baking."

Applejack seems a little sympathetic now, and Pinkie wishes she'd thought about more elegant food before asking her for apples.

"Are ya sure? At the Grand Galloping Gala, none of them fancy-type ponies wanted ta eat mah apples," Applejack says. "Look, Pinkie Pie, I just don't want nopony ta get disappointed…"

"Oh, don't worry, Applejack!" Pinkie Pie says peppily. "I _know_ it'll turn out all right." She slips under the basket and carries it along with her other purchases. She opens the door and turns toward the bakery before Applejack can protest. Pinkie _knows_ this won't be a problem. She is determined to make this the best party ever, and she has absolutely no worries.

"Would you like to come?" Pinkie asks before she closes the door. "It starts at five."

Applejack chuckles. "Will do, Pinkie."

"Great!" Pinkie Pie says, and enters the bakery.

"Oh, Pinkie Pie, you're back!" exclaims Mrs. Cake.

"Yes-a-rooney-looney!" Pinkie says. She sets down the basket of apples by the door and puts down her bag of pranks. She closes the door and heads towards Mrs. Cake.

"So what can we make with these apples?"

Mrs. Cake looks at the apples, all shiny and red. "Hmm, let's see…" She takes one of her cookbooks down from the shelf and looks through it. "Apple pie…apple strudel…apple cinnamon crisps…"

"Maybe we could do just a bunch of everything!" Pinkie Pie says. "And some other things too, like chocolate cupcakes!" She smiles, and Mrs. Cake smiles back. After all, Pinkie's smile is contagious, and she knows it.

"Of course, dear. That sounds like a great idea," Mrs. Cake says. "Just wait here, I need to find my husband and convince him to run the shop for a little while."

"Thank you for helping me with this, Mrs. Cake!" Pinkie exclaims happily. She says this even though she knows that Mrs. Cake would never leave her in need. Mrs. Cake is like a second mother to Pinkie Pie.

"Anytime, Pinkie Pie. Now…" Mrs. Cake trots up to the second floor in search of Mr. Cake, while Pinkie Pie stays downstairs and plans more of her decoration. She already has the pranks, so those are accounted for. The food will soon be prepared and ready to go. What Pinkie still needs is the decorations and special party effects. Maybe magical decorations? It's a great idea, Pinkie decides. Especially since one of her friends deals with magic, and is Ponyville's best unicorn in Pinkie Pie's personal opinion.

Yes, of course. After she and Mrs. Cake finish baking the special party treats, Pinkie Pie will go visit Twilight Sparkle. If anypony can whip up some extra-magical party decoration, it's Twilight.

Just then Mrs. Cake walks back downstairs followed by her husband, Mr. Cake. He takes his place at the counter and Mrs. Cake ushers Pinkie Pie into the kitchen, hoisting the basket of apples onto her back.

"Now, then," Mrs. Cake says, placing the basket on top of the kitchen counter. "What should we make first?"

* * *

><p>A few hours of baking later, Pinkie Pie and Mrs. Cake have managed to produce a large apple pie, some cinnamon buns with apple slices on top, apple strudel, and other various treats made with the prided fruit of Sweet Apple Acres. In addition they have some chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cupcakes, and a large tiered marble cake. Pinkie is just finishing the icing on the cupcakes, and she has followed through with her original plan. Now each of the cupcakes have a dress drawn on in either pink, blue, green, or yellow frosting, and not one of the dresses matches another.<p>

And the cake is truly Pinkie Pie's best. It has glittering lavender frosting, with white cream rosettes and borders. On the top there are several striped candles, each lavender and white to match the color scheme. "Carousel Boutique", reads the name, written in blue gel frosting on one side of the cake.

Pinkie smiles back at Mrs. Cake, who is clearly proud. Both of them can tell that all those years of baking have paid off.

Pinkie Pie is going to leave the food here until the party is almost ready to start, and then Mrs. Cake will help her bring the treats to Carousel Boutique. But there's still quite a lot of time until the party, and what Pinkie worried about now is the decorations. Thanking Mrs. Cake again for helping her, Pinkie Pie leaves Sugarcube Corner and heads for Twilight's house.

* * *

><p>When Pinkie Pie knocks on Twilight's door, it's Spike who answers.<p>

"Hey Pinkie Pie," he says. "Whatcha up to?"

Pinkie Pie bounces up and down. "Hosting a party that's going to take place at Rarity's b—" Pinkie doesn't even have to finish the sentence. Spike is already super-excited.

"Rarity? Oh boy, is she going to be there? At a party? Hey, can I come?" The dragon's mouth turns up in a smile and his eyes crinkle. He is the exact picture of cute.

"Of course, Spike!" Pinkie Pie says. "I was just going to ask Twilight if she could help me put up some magical decorations."

"I wanna help too," Spike says.

"Well, I don't have any plans for the music yet," Pinkie Pie considers.

"Can I be the DJ?" Spike asks eagerly.

"Why not?" Pinkie says. At that moment Twilight Sparkle comes up from behind Spike.

"Oh, hi Pinkie Pie! What's going on?" she asks.

"I'm helping Rarity throw a party to invite more customers to the boutique," Pinkie explains. "Rarity is away in Canterlot right now checking who's coming, so I was wondering if you could help me put up some decorations."

"Sure, Pinkie," Twilight says. This is why she's one of Pinkie's best friends. "Come on, Spike, let's go."

"I'm going to be the DJ!" Spike exclaims as he hops onto Twilight's back. Twilight stops.

"Wait," she says, "isn't this a party to get more customers to _come_ to Carousel Boutique?"

"Yes-a-rooney-looney!"

Twilight chuckles, and lowers her eyelids. "And I'm guessing Rarity wants more…refined customers?"

"Of course she does, she's Rarity, isn't she?"

Twilight gives Spike an apologetic smile and says in amused tone back to Pinkie Pie, "Well then, I don't think you want _Spike's_ choice of music at the party."

Pinkie Pie is actually very intelligent. She knows that Twilight is right. But seeing the crushed look on the little dragon's face is more than she can bear. She gives in.

"Oh, it'll be okay, Twilight!" Pinkie says. "Trust me. Spike can be the DJ if he wants to!"

"I can?"

"Yep!"

Spike's expression quickly goes from disappointed to ecstatic, and he throws his arms up in the air. "Woohoo!"

Twilight seems a bit worried, but she shakes it off.

And soon they are at the boutique.

Pinkie takes the key that Rarity gave her earlier and lets herself, Twilight, and Spike in. Then she moves some of the mannequins to the corner to give Twilight more working space.

Spike jumps off of Twilight's back. "Maybe I can rent some speakers and stuff for the music," he says. "Mind if I go check out some places?"

Twilight grins impishly. "You won't need to do that," she says. She turns to the mannequins and looks at them carefully.

"Do you think Rarity needs these during the party?"

"Probably not," Pinkie Pie says truthfully.

"All right then," Twilight says. She crouches down. "Stand back." Pinkie and Spike obediently take a couple steps backward.

"Twilight's been getting pretty good at shape-shifting things," Spike says proudly. Twilight gives him a stern look and hisses, "Shhh."

Twilight is concentrating really hard. Her horn attains a cerise glow, and before long the mannequins are bathed in the same tinted light. Then suddenly the mannequins stretch, compress, and when they open up again they aren't mannequins anymore.

There are two large speakers and a record table in-between, and Twilight is panting but looking very pleased with herself. Pinkie's jaw drops, Spike hadn't been kidding. Twilight really was getting better.

Spike doesn't seem to have a reaction at first, but then spontaneously he leaps up and throws his arms around Twilight, who smiles and accepts the gesture.

"Wow! That was _so _amazing! Thank you Twilight, thank you thank you thank you!"

"It was nothing, Spike," Twilight says, but then she starts to sway on her hooves.

"Whoa, Twilight, whoa!" Pinkie Pie says worriedly, and quickly moves under her friend to keep her from hitting the ground.

"I'm…okay," Twilight wheezes, but Spike frowns.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fine," Twilight repeats. She looks around and sees a handkerchief that Rarity must have dropped. Twilight clenches her teeth and tries to bring it toward herself, but she sighs and gives up. "I'm beat. I guess that the shape-shifting took up all my energy."

She looks at Pinkie Pie, who is more worried about her friend than disappointed. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, don't be a silly filly!" Pinkie Pie says, breaking into a wide happy grin. "Now we'll have great music. We can do the decorations by hoof. After all, that's how I usually do it!"

Twilight smiles. "Okay then."

Pinkie Pie shows Twilight how she usually decorates party rooms, with balloons, streamers, and the whole shebang. She—carefully, of course—uses a ladder to hang the streamers from the ceiling. Twilight, while unable to create any decorations, musters enough energy to print in neat cursive on the balloons, "Carousel Boutique".

Pretty soon the room is nearly finished. But something seems missing. Something that Pinkie might have planned in her mind, earlier…

Oh, yeah! The disco ball. But where can Pinkie get a disco ball? Her mind whirs, and she stays silent for a moment. Then it comes to her. The party supply store that just opened in town might have something of that sort. Besides, Pinkie Pie has never set hoof in the shop, since it's so new and she hasn't had a party since before it opened, frequent as her parties may be.

That's what she'll do next. "Twilight," Pinkie says, "if you want to come to the party later, it's going to be at five, okie-dokie-loki?"

"Got it," Twilight says, and with Spike on her back she heads back home.

* * *

><p>Pinkie Pie is now walking down to the party store, side satchel on her back, looking at each building to make sure she finds the right one. Ah! There it is. It is brightly colored and has several neon balloons on the sign. It definitely looks like Pinkie's kind of shop.<p>

A bell rings as Pinkie Pie opens the door, and she skips inside. There are, amazingly, quite a lot of things to choose from—about a billion-jillion bright balloons of all different shapes and sizes, streamers with different textures and patterns, goodie bags with assortments of candies in them—it's amazing.

It actually intimidates Pinkie Pie and makes her feel small. She walks along the aisles slowly and silently, as if the slightest noise might cause something terrible.

After quite a long time of browsing, Pinkie sees what she's looking for—big, bright, sparkly disco balls. She smiles—until she sees the price tag.

"Oh no—thirty bits?" she gasps.

Pinkie Pie really is intelligent. She just happens to be scatterbrained as well.

"Oh Pinkie Pie, you silly filly!" she chides herself. "Were you expecting disco balls to be _dirt_ cheap? Because if disco balls _were_ dirt cheap, we would be walking on disco balls instead of _dirt_!" She rolls her eyes at herself and is about to walk back out of the store, when someone Pinkie doesn't expect comes up to her.

"Pinkie Pie—I didn't know _you_ would be here!" says a soft, gentle voice as the flutter of wings brings air into Pinkie's face.

"Fluttershy? I didn't think you would be here either!" exclaims Pinkie Pie. "Are you throwing a party too? I didn't know you liked throwing parties!"

"Oh, well, I, um, don't," Fluttershy says quietly. "I'm just here to, um, help out the manager of this place. Angel really hasn't been living up to his name. I have _no_ idea why he's been such a troublemaker lately! He's usually _never_ like this. But, I'm getting off the point. The manager knows somepony who can take care of him for a little while, provided that I help out in the shop. _You_ know, helping customers and such."

"That certainly sounds important!" says Pinkie. "You just seem so…_fluttery_ and _shy_ that I never thought my dear friend Fluttershy would be performing such a social-icious job!"

"Oh, well," Fluttershy blushes, "it's been kind of easy the past few days. Because there hasn't really _been_ any customers."

"At all?"

"At all."

"I was going to be a customer," Pinkie Pie offers. "But I didn't bring enough money to buy what I needed for a party I'm throwing for Rarity."

"What were you, um, what were you going to buy?"

"This disco ball," explains Pinkie. "I have no idea in the whole wide world why I _completely_ forgot how much I would need!"

"But you're the first customer," blurts Fluttershy. When she is met with a quizzical look from Pinkie Pie, she shrinks slightly.

"The manager said that the first ten customers will get a discount," Fluttershy says. "He was hoping it would help promote the store. If it's thirty bits now, you can get it for half-price. Fifteen bits. And you'll also get some free cans of Silly String along with—"

Pinkie's curiosity has been sparked. "What's…Silly String?" she asks. It sounds fun enough, but she wants to make sure.

"It's this liquid sort of thing, that, um, when you spray it, it turns to a sort of…string…thing," Fluttershy explains slowly.

Pinkie's mind is now whirring again, and she's thinking hard. This Silly String sounded perfect for the party. "Okie-dokie-loki!" She exclaims. Fifteen bits is perfect—she has sixteen in her side satchel—and she now has a disco ball and some Silly String.

"Say, Fluttershy, would you like to come to the party? It starts at five."

"Ooh, I'd _love_ to—I'm sure I can get off by then," Fluttershy answers.

Fluttershy helps Pinkie Pie pay for her items and puts them in a bag. Somehow, Pinkie manages to haul her purchases back to Carousel Boutique, just as Mr. and Mrs. Cake come up, each pulling a cart filled with baked goods.

"Thanks!" Pinkie exclaims, ushering the couple into the boutique so they can set up the treats on the tables. Mr. Cake helps Pinkie Pie put up the disco ball, and Mrs. Cake produces the pranks that Pinkie bought earlier from the bottom of her cart. The last thing is the several cans of Silly String—Pinkie was able to buy a few more cans with her extra bit—which are set on a table in the corner.

Pinkie Pie steps back and admires her handiwork. The room is now fully decorated with streamers, balloons, and bright colors. The pranks have been cleverly disguised in various places, and the Silly String is on the corner table. There are loudspeakers and a record table off to one side. The tables in the middle of the room are so full of delicious food that plates are nearly falling off the tabletops. And of course, the tall, scrumptious cake is right in the middle of it all.

Pinkie Pie has outdone herself, and she knows it. But it's all for Rarity, because Rarity is her good friend.

Mr. and Mrs. Cake wave and start back to Sugarcube Corner to get back to the shop. They can't leave it for the whole party, they couldn't afford to lose so many sales.

The party should be starting soon. There are only twenty minutes until five o' clock, and guests should begin arriving before long. So should Rarity.

It is a while later that Pinkie just finishes tying balloons to a sign next to the door. It looks spectacular and eye-catching, so that nopony can possibly miss it. That's when Rarity comes up, just a few minutes before five.

"Pinkie Pie!" she exclaims, flushed and slightly out of breath. "I can't _wait_ to see what you've done. Be a dear and show me, why don't you?" Pinkie is just as excited. "Okie-dokie-loki," she agrees and bounces into her friend's shop.

The disco ball in particular is very shiny. Pinkie Pie turns to Rarity and sees the light reflecting in her eyes. "So d'ya like it?" she asks, hopping up and down.

"Why…it's…well, quite stunning," Rarity settled on. "It's just that…well, it isn't exactly what I had in mind, darling."

Pinkie stops bouncing.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, I was hoping it would have a more…elegant and, ah, _refined_ appearance. Oh, no no no, dearie, it's just _fine_ the way it is!" Rarity adds in hurriedly as she sees Pinkie Pie droop like a wilted flower.

"And in any case, it's too late to change anything. It's absolutely _perfect_," Rarity puts in. Pinkie Pie is only silence, she really really _really_ wanted this to be exactly what Rarity wanted.

The first two to arrive are Twilight Sparkle and Spike. Spike's entire face lights up when he sees Rarity, and he quickly rushes up to meet her.

"Wow!" says Twilight in true amazement. "The disco ball? This is great, Pinkie!"

Pinkie Pie gives a small smile. It really _is_ hard to hold it back, so she just gives up and lets the grin spread across her face. "Thank you, Twilight!" If Twilight thinks the party looks great, perhaps everypony else will feel the same way?

Pretty soon Spike is at the record table spinning some tunes, throwing bold glances in Rarity's direction. Rarity doesn't seem to be paying much attention though, but inspecting the décor and whimpering to herself.

Pinkie Pie feels a pang of worry inside her. After all, she _is_ intelligent, and she knows disappointment when she sees it. But she brushes it off. Rarity said that her party was perfect, didn't she…?

The first guests begin to arrive, and Rarity hides behind the loudspeakers. Pinkie is watching her. Rarity is definitely behaving oddly. She doesn't seem to want anypony to find her. Which definitely _is_ weird, since this is her party.

Pinkie Pie turns to the guests. They seem rather taken aback at the childish decorations and the garish colors. They shriek when they discover the pranks, then frown. More guests are coming, and each have a similar reaction. None of them seem to like the party that Pinkie has created. Most of the food is still there and the cans of Silly String have remained untouched. The only ponies who appear to be having fun are Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Twilight, and Applejack, who were second to arrive. Rarity is still hiding. Pinkie turns frantically to the tables. The first thing to catch her eye is the cake. The cake!

"All right, everypony!" announces Pinkie, picking up a can of Silly String in her hooves. "Who wants some cake?" All the ponies silently gather round, and Pinkie nods to Twilight, who magically lights each of the lavender striped candles. Pinkie produces a cheerful smile, hoping that it will spread among the crowd. When it doesn't, Pinkie looks at Twilight, who promptly starts a short speech.

"This party is in honor of Carousel Boutique," Twilight begins. "A truly wonderful establishment. Now, who wants cake?"

Everypony is quiet. Some of them appear uninterested and inspect their hooves nonchalantly.

Pinkie Pie is a bit frustrated, but she doesn't let it show. She really hoped that everyone would like her party. Hoping now that she might get the crowd riled up, she sprays the can of Silly String away from the cake, a long and bright strand of colorful foam coming out the end. But the nozzle, she realizes too late, is backwards. It all seems to happen in slow motion. The string hits the candle flames and is instantly set on fire, still being propelled a couple feet.

Everyone in the room, including Pinkie, shrieks and she tightens her grip on the can, but that makes it spray again. This time the flame hits Twilight's mane, setting it on fire. Twilight screeches, and in panic begins to run frantically around the room. Spike shouts out and chases after her, tackling her to make her stop, drop, and roll. But the two of them bump against the curtain in the corner, setting it aflame, before Twilight's hair is sound.

Spike might be a brave dragon, but frankly he isn't the bravest. He squeaks as he sees the fire quickly spread across the fabric and sprints out the door. There is a pause and a silence except for the crackling of fire. Then all Equestria seems to break loose. Ponies gallop out the door screaming. Rainbow Dash, thinking rashly, flies up to the flames and flaps her wings, seeming to think that the wind will put out the fire. However, the added oxygen gives the fire more energy. Fluttershy grabs her friend and pulls her out the door.

"Water!" croaks Spike from outside. "Use a water spell, Twilight! The one you learned earlier!"

Twilight looks back at her friend and nods. She crouches and groans, attempting to summon enough energy to cast it. She tries for about a minute.

"I can't!" she coughs through the smoke. "I still don't have enough energy to…t-to…"

The smoke and the energy exertion are getting to her. She collapses with a soft moan.

"Twilight!" Spike drags her out the door.

Pinkie Pie is rooted to the spot, her eyes fixed on the spreading fire. The can is still clutched tightly in her hoof. She looks to Rarity, who is the only one left in the room. She looks afraid, fighting to be calm.

Pinkie can't take this anymore. Both the smoke and the wracking feeling of bitter failure are breaking her down, thread by thread. She drops the can of Silly String, turns tail, and flees. She doesn't even look back to see how Rarity fares.

Pinkie Pie gallops faster and faster, tears coursing down her cheeks. She'd ruined it all, completely made a mess of everything. She can barely see where she heading as the burning hot tears blur her vision.

Pinkie deserves to be banished. Her friends are better than this. They should never have to be graced by one of Pinkie Pie's parties again. That's why Pinkie is going to do them all a favor. She's banishing herself to the Everfree Forest.

Pinkie Pie doesn't even notice Mrs. Cake's awkward stare as she bolts up the stairs. She throws random items into a suitcase and closes it, although she has to hop up and down on top of it to get it so. She turns to her pet alligator Gummy to wake him up, but thinks better of it and dashes down the stairs and out the door. Gummy is too good a pet for her. She could never force him to live the life of an outcast.

Sobbing, Pinkie Pie runs as fast as she can towards the forest, or at least as fast as she can while lugging a packed suitcase. Her heart is breaking, but she knows it's for the best.

Finally Pinkie reaches the edge of the Everfree Forest. It's as spooky as it usually is, but Pinkie Pie doesn't care. She wanders aimlessly around in the forest, until she knows that nopony can find her. Then she finds a clear spot, plunking down the heavy suitcase.

Pinkie, to this day, still doesn't remember how long she stayed in the Everfree Forest. It is for a very long time, but it is all lost to her. She is blank and empty. She stays, and waits for nothing to happen.

Hours and hours later, she hears something that seems different in the midst of the great forest. It sounds a lot like her name.

"Pinkie Pie! Pinkie, dear, please, come out!"

And it sounds remarkably like Rarity.

Pinkie's ears perk up, then flop back down again. She is in exile. She can't talk to Rarity anymore. So she stays quiet. But for some reason, she doesn't move or try to hide from Rarity.

Finally, as was prone to happen, Rarity finds Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie looks up—there are funny black streaks running down Rarity's face. They are wet and a diluted grayish color.

"Oh, Pinkie Pie, we were all so worried!" exclaims the unicorn. "Me, and Twilight, and Rainbow Dash, and Applejack, and Fluttershy, and well, everypony else!"

"They were?" asks Pinkie.

Rarity seems taken aback. "Of course!" she says. "You're our best friend!"

"Didn't I burn down your boutique?"

"Oh, darling, it's not _burnt down_…per se," Rarity says. "Even though Twilight couldn't perform the water spell, I was able to and prevented the fire from spreading any further. Yes, I will be needing to close for a while to make repairs, but it's not like it was burnt down to the ground." She laughs merrily, and Pinkie eyes her suspiciously. Why is she laughing if her boutique is currently a mess?

Rarity has just spotted the suitcase.

"What's…this?" she asks.

"My suitcase. Obviously," Pinkie Pie says.

"Your…suitcase?"

"Yes," Pinkie says, with so much patience and tolerance it's almost frightening. "You weren't expecting me to go into exile without packing my things, were you?"

"Exile? Whatever do you mean?" Rarity is quite surprised.

"I've banished myself away from Ponyville. It's too good a town to be mine," Pinkie says.

"But we miss you!" Rarity says.

Inside, Pinkie Pie can feel her broken heart being stitched back up together, thread by thread.

"You guys miss me?"

"Of course!" Rarity shouts. "Oh, Pinkie Pie, I would prefer that the party be less vigorous and little or no harm come to my boutique, but we don't love you any less! You're our friend! Without you, we can't go on. _Do_ come with me, darling."

Pinkie looks from her suitcase, to the spooky greenery of Everfree Forest, to Rarity's desperate and kind face. Her blue eyes shine and she breaks into a wide grin.

"Okie-dokie-loki!"

* * *

><p>As Princess Celestia slowly brought the sun down, amends were being made. When Rarity emerged from the gloomy forest with Pinkie Pie in her wake, Twilight, Rainbow, Applejack, and Fluttershy cheered and hugged their friend. Pinkie Pie laughed her characteristic laugh, complete with snorts. Although Carousel Boutique was temporarily closed, ponies came up personally to Rarity and placed requests. Rarity told Spike her opinion on his heroic rescue of Twilight, and Twilight herself listened with a silent smirk on her face. Pinkie Pie never could bring herself to even touch a can of Silly String again, as the incident had had a lasting effect on her. But now she knew, at least, that nothing could keep her away from her friends' love. After all, that's why they were her friends.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>And that's how Equestria was made!"<strong>_


End file.
